I did ask for your story in the beginning. You wanted the reason why.
['Ardbert' seems amused to have to point that out and his expression is bemused. Ask a question and don't complain when you get an answer, maybe?
As to the motivation behind asking... well, it can work in Elidibus's favor if Geralt believes it to be for an altruistic dream of doing good. And it can prove beneficial should the Turnskin discover there's more than idealism in the Ascian's intentions.
The thing that will be noticed most, however, is that this stranger seems to be listening. Even as Geralt rattles off incidents and aftermaths of the past events mentioned and avoids his own tale, 'Ardbert' takes in the words, storing them away as information to be used later.
Though there's a moment where he closes his eyes. A touch of a smile on his lips and a shake of his head. When he opens them once again, he still has the bearing of a good-natured man, though his words may give reason to believe there's some experience in doing things other than taking a large axe and sticking it into something until it stops moving to solve a problem.]
Yes, one could attack one's finances. Send knives in the dark. Or utter a well-placed word to animate a puppet's strings. But machinations are not what I'm after.
[Ardbert leans forward, arms rested against the tabletop and hands clasped together casually.]
There are few matters more foolish than to move blindly forward to do some good without hearkening to what can be learned from the past.
no subject
['Ardbert' seems amused to have to point that out and his expression is bemused. Ask a question and don't complain when you get an answer, maybe?
As to the motivation behind asking... well, it can work in Elidibus's favor if Geralt believes it to be for an altruistic dream of doing good. And it can prove beneficial should the Turnskin discover there's more than idealism in the Ascian's intentions.
The thing that will be noticed most, however, is that this stranger seems to be listening. Even as Geralt rattles off incidents and aftermaths of the past events mentioned and avoids his own tale, 'Ardbert' takes in the words, storing them away as information to be used later.
Though there's a moment where he closes his eyes. A touch of a smile on his lips and a shake of his head. When he opens them once again, he still has the bearing of a good-natured man, though his words may give reason to believe there's some experience in doing things other than taking a large axe and sticking it into something until it stops moving to solve a problem.]
Yes, one could attack one's finances. Send knives in the dark. Or utter a well-placed word to animate a puppet's strings. But machinations are not what I'm after.
[Ardbert leans forward, arms rested against the tabletop and hands clasped together casually.]
There are few matters more foolish than to move blindly forward to do some good without hearkening to what can be learned from the past.
[Witches and tongues, right?]
...Or as in the matter of your tale, the present.
[Nope, he's not giving up on that. Not one bit.]